Floribunda rose plant named &#39;Wekstameda&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Floribunda rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of clear lavender coloration.

CLASSIFICATION

The present invention relates to a new Rosa hybrida plant.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new plant has the varietal denomination ‘WEKstameda’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Floribunda Rose.It has an undisseminated seedling of my creation as its seed parent withthe following genetic origin {Stainless Steel×(Blueberry Hill×Stephen'sBig Purple)}×Sunset Celebration and as its pollen parent the varietyknown as ‘WEKblunez’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,572).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and commercial rose cultivars known to the inventorare the following combinations of characteristics: its very doubleflowers of clear lavender coloration, its excellent color stabilitythroughout the life of the flower, its large clusters and its veryabundant bloom. The plant has a bushy rounded growing habit, suitablefor outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in KernCounty and Pomona, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘WEKstameda’ may beasexually propagated by cuttings, budding and grafting. The budding andgrafting successfully occurred on the plant/rootstock Rosa hybrida cv.Dr. Huey (not patented).

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, anundisseminated seedling of my creation by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas ‘WEKstameda’ bears very double flowers (about46 to 57 petals) of clear lavender coloration, the undisseminatedseedling bears double flowers of light purple coloration withsignificantly lesser petalage (about 25 to 32 petals). The new varietyhas a bushy rounded medium height growing habit (about 130 to about 150cm. in height), whereas the seed parent has a bushy uprightsignificantly shorter growing habit (about 90 to about 100 cm. inheight).

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, ‘WEKblunez’by the following combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKstameda’bears medium sized flowers (about 8.3 to about 9.1 cm. in diameter) ofclear lavender coloration, ‘WEKblunez’ bears significantly largerflowers (about 10.0 to about 12.2 cm. in diameter) of orchid pinkcoloration. The flowers of the new variety have a slight citrus-likefragrance, whereas the flowers of the pollen parent have a strong oldrose fragrance.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The new variety may be distinguished from its closest commerciallyavailable cultivar, ‘Angel Face’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,792) by thefollowing combination of characteristics: whereas ‘WEKstameda’ bearsvery double flowers (about 46 to 57 petals) of clear lavendercoloration, ‘Angel Face’ bears double flowers of clear medium lavendercoloration blushed ruby with significantly lesser petalage (about 25 to30 petals). The new variety has a bushy rounded medium height growinghabit (about 130 to about 150 cm. in height), whereas the closestcommercially available cultivar has a rounded compact significantlyshorter growing habit (about 90 to about 120 cm. in height).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. The branches used for the photograph came from 3 to 4year-old rose plants of the new variety grown outdoors in Pomona, Calif.in the month of September. Throughout this specification, colorreferences and/or values are based upon the Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society (1966) except where common terms of colordefinition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of 3 to 4 year-old rose plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Pomona, Calif. in the month of September.Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety usually bears its flowers in clusters of three to fiveor more per stem. Flowers are borne in regular somewhat flat to roundedclusters on strong medium length stems (about 20 to about 34 cm.).Outdoors, the plant blooms very abundantly and nearly continuouslyduring the growing season. The flowers have a slight citrus-likefragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is about 4.1 to about 5.2 cm. in length, of average caliper(about 2.5 to about 3.5 cm. in diameter), and usually erect. It ismoderately rough, with few stipitate glands and some very smallprickles. Peduncle color is between 146C and 144A.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 1.5 to about 1.9 cm. indiameter at the widest point, about 2.0 to about 2.3 cm. in length, andovoid to somewhat pointed in shape. The surface of the bud bears between5 to 7 foliaceous appendages, very few stipitate glands and usually withslender entire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the budabout ½ or more of its length. Bud color is between 144A and 146B.

The sepals are about 2.0 to about 2.3 cm. in length and about 0.7 toabout 0.9 cm. in width at the widest point. The outer surface color ofthe sepal is between 144A and 146B. The outer surface of the sepal isvery smooth and bears between 1 to 4 foliacious appendages with very fewstipitate glands. The inner surface color of the sepal is near 146D. Theinner surface of the sepal is covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepalmargins are lined with many stipitate glands and some hairs.

The receptacle of the flower is of somewhat short to medium length(about 0.6 to about 0.7 cm.) and average in caliper (about 0.9 to about1.2 cm. in diameter). The receptacle is urn-shaped in form. Its surfaceis very smooth with few hairs and with moderately thick fleshy walls.The receptacle color is between 144A and 146B.

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 2.2 toabout 2.5 cm. in diameter at the widest point, about 2.6 to about 3.0cm. in length, and moderately ovoid to nearly globular in form. Thecolor of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals is between 70Cand 70D sometimes blushed with as dark as 71B at the very edge of thepetal. At the point where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat smallzone of near 1D. The color of the upper surfaces of the newly openedpetals is between 78D and 70D. At the point where the petal attaches,there is a moderately large zone of near 1C.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom ranges from about 8.3 to about 9.1 cm. indiameter. Petalage is very double with about 46 to 57 petals and about 5to 9 petaloids irregularly arranged. When partially open, the bloom formis moderately cupped to somewhat high centered, and the petals aresomewhat tightly spiraled to cupped with petal edges somewhat rolledoutward. When fully open, the bloom form is more cupped, and the petalsare loosely cupped to moderately undulated with petal edges moderatelyrolled outward.

PETALS

The substance of the petals is moderately heavy and of medium thickness,with upper surfaces somewhat satiny and under surfaces slightly shiny tomatte. The petals are about 3.8 to about 4.6 cm. in length and about 2.8to about 3.6 cm. in width at the widest point. Petal margins are usuallyentire to sometimes moderately crenate mostly on the outermost petals.

The outer petals are somewhat broadly obovate in shape with rounded tosometimes moderately crenate apices.

The inner petals are moderately obovate to nearly oblanceolate in shapewith rounded apices.

Petaloids are about 2.1 to about 2.4 cm. in length and about 0.8 toabout 1.3 cm. in width at the widest point. Petaloids are irregularlyshaped somewhat obovate to oblanceolate with rounded apices.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 75C and 73D. At the point where the petal attaches, there is asomewhat small zone of near 158C.

The upper surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 75B and 73C. At the point where the petal attaches, there is amoderately large zone of near 2D.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 75B and 73C.

THREE-DAY-OLD FLOWER

The under surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 75D and 73D. At the point where the petal attaches, there is asomewhat small zone of near 158D.

The upper surface color of the outer, intermediate and inner petals isbetween 75C and 73D. At the point where the petal attaches, there is amoderately large zone of near 155C.

The under and upper surface colors of the petaloids are similar incoloration to the upper and under surfaces of the intermediate and innerpetals.

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is between 75C and 73D.

On the spent bloom, the petals usually drop off cleanly and are notparticularly affected by cold, hot or dry weather.

In September in Pomona, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last about four to five days. Cut roses from plants grownoutdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally lastabout four to five days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are average in number (average about 95) and are arrangedregularly about the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids. Thefilaments are medium to long in length (about 0.3 to about 0.8 cm.) mostwith anthers. Filaments are near 19C in color often moderately suffusedwith near 53B. The anthers are somewhat small to medium for the classand all open approximately at the same time. Anther color when immatureis near 20A on the external part and near 20B on the internal part.Anther color at maturity is near 163A on the external part and near 166Aon the internal part. Pollen is moderate to abundant and near 19D incolor.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils vary in number (average about 140). The styles are somewhatuneven, moderately short in length (about 0.2 to about 0.3 cm.),somewhat thin to average in caliper, and moderately bunched. Stigmacolor is near 158A. Style color is near 45C. Ovaries are usually allenclosed in the calyx.

Hips are of somewhat short to average length (about 2.1 to about 2.5cm.), somewhat ovoid to globular in form, and near 172D in color whenripe. The hip surface is very smooth with moderately thick fleshy walls.The sepals are moderately fugacious.

The seeds are irregularly rounded, smooth in texture, approximately 15to about 18 per hip, about 0.4 to about 0.6 cm. in diameter at thewidest point and near 164C in color.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five leaflets andare borne abundantly. The five-leaflet leaves are about 10.2 to about13.5 cm. in length and about 8.5 to about 12.8 cm. in width at thewidest point, somewhat heavy to leathery in texture, and mostly matte tosomewhat semi-glossy in finish on the upper side and matte in finish onthe under side. The leaves have a pinnate venation pattern. The terminalleaflets are about 4.9 to about 7.1 cm. in length and about 3.4 to about5.6 cm. in width at the widest point, shaped broadly ovate withmoderately acute apices and rounded to somewhat inequilateral bases.Their margins are usually simply serrate.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between 137A and 147A. Theunder surface color of the mature leaf is near 148B sometimes moderatelysuffused with between 184D and 185C. The under and upper colors of theleaf veins on the mature leaf are similar in coloration to the upper andunder surfaces colors of the mature leaf. The upper surface color of theyoung leaf is between 144A and 146C, usually heavily suffused withbetween 183A and 187A. The under surface color of the young leaf isbetween 144A and 146C, usually heavily suffused with between 183B and187C. The under and upper colors of the leaf veins on the young leaf aresimilar in coloration to the upper and under surfaces colors of theyoung leaf.

The rachis is average to somewhat heavy in caliper and moderately rough.The upper side is moderately grooved with few hairs and some stipitateglands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of the rachis ismoderately rough with some stipitate glands and few small prickle. Therachis color is near 146C on the under side and near 146B on the upperside.

The stipules are about 1.3 to about 1.5 cm. in length and of moderatewidth (about 0.2 to about 0.4 cm.) with medium length straight pointsthat usually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees. The under andupper surface color of the stipule is between 146B and 146C.

The petiole is average to somewhat heavy in caliper and moderatelyrough. The upper side is moderately grooved with few hairs and somestipitate glands on the edges of the grooves. The under side of thepetiole is moderately rough with some stipitate glands and few smallprickle. The petiole is about 0.6 to about 0.9 cm. in length and about0.2 to about 0.3 cm in width at the widest point. The petiole color isnear 146C on the under side and near 146B on the upper side.

The plant displays an average degree of resistance to powdery mildew andrust as compared to other commercial varieties grown under comparableconditions in Pomona, Calif. The plant's winter hardiness anddrought/heat tolerance are yet to be determined.

GROWTH

The plant has a bushy rounded medium height growing habit (about 130 toabout 150 cm. in height and about 70 to about 90 cm. spread at thewidest point), with full branching. It displays moderately vigorousgrowth and the canes are of medium to heavy caliper for the class (about0.9 to about 2.4 cm. in diameter at the widest point).

The color of the major stems is between 147B and 148A. They bear manylarge prickles that are about 0.6 to about 0.8 cm. in length. The largeprickles are almost straight and angled slightly downward with a mediumlength moderately broad oval base; prickle color is near 166A. The majorstem bears many small prickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the branches is between 146B and 146C. They bear many largeprickles which are of similar size and shape to the large prickles onthe major stems; prickle color is near 165A. The branches bear manysmall prickles of similar shape and coloration.

The color of the new shoots is between 146D and 138B often lightlysuffused with 183B and 187C. They bear many large prickles which are ofsimilar size and shape to the large prickles on the major stems; pricklecolor is between 165C and 163A. The shoots bear many small prickles ofsimilar shape and coloration.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Floribunda rose plant of the varietysubstantially as described and illustrated herein.